Hot & Sour Greens

Eating dark leafy greens is one of the best moves you can make toward optimal health. This simple, versatile dish will please even veggie-phobes. You’ll have fun experimenting with some not so traditional greens in this delicious and nutritious recipe!

Supermarkets are loaded with a wide variety of greens year-round. If you’ve never really experimented much beyond spinach, now is the time to do so. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Some greens do have strong tastes that take getting used to; beet greens and chard, for example, contain oxalic acid, which imparts a sharp flavor. Older leaves have more of this flavor than younger ones, and some varieties are stronger-tasting than others. On the other hand, kale is generally mild and good-tasting, as long as it is prepared properly. Bok choy, or Chinese cabbage, has a mild spiciness that adds great flavor to many dishes. Many cultures add vinegar to complement the flavor of greens, and this Asian-flavored dish is no exception.

Food as Medicine

It’s an unfortunate misconception that citrus fruits are the best sources of vitamin C. This vital nutrient is abundant in vegetables, especially greens. One cup of cooked chard, for example, provides 52 percent of the Daily Value for vitamin C.

1 pound greens (bok choy, kale, Swiss chard, collards)
2 teaspoons expeller-pressed canola oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon light brown sugar

1. Wash and drain greens, remove any tough stems, and slice leaves into 1/2-inch shreds.
2. Heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and stir-fry for one minute.
3. Add the greens along with the mustard and stir to coat with the spices.
4. Combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce and sugar and add to the greens in the skillet.
5. Cook covered over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about five minutes.